In the past, a number of foot-actuated drumbeaters have been proposed, with some of these offering somewhat unusual advantages, such as selectable strokes, the opportunity to hit more than one drum simultaneously, and the like. Perhaps the most pertinent prior art teaching is the Fearns U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,441 wherein the patentee claims to have a Double Acting Drum Pedal. However, his rocking pedal has positive control over the movement of his beater shaft only in a single direction, and he must necessarily rely upon a spring to cause the return of his drumbeater to a neutral position. Inasmuch as Fearns uses a flexible leather strip to form the connection between a toe portion of his foot pedal and the beater arm, this necessarily precludes the application by the drummer of a considerable amount of power in both operative directions of his beater.
It also should be noted that foot pedals of the Fearns type entail an uncomfortable, unrealistic foot movement, for his rockable pedal requires a centralized pivot point if sufficient force for beater operation is to be developed.
To be contrasted with all of the known prior art is now a beater arrangement in which the foot pedal at all times positively controls the positioning of the beater or beaters used.